U.S. patent application number 16/204136 was filed with the patent office on 2019-03-28 for method for self-aligning solder-attached mems die to a mounting surface.
This patent application is currently assigned to DunAn Microstaq, Inc.. The applicant listed for this patent is DunAn Microstaq, Inc.. Invention is credited to Gengxun K. Gurley, Wayne C. Long, Joseph L. Nguyen, Joe A. Ojeda.
Application Number | 20190092630 16/204136 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 62065820 |
Filed Date | 2019-03-28 |
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United States Patent
Application |
20190092630 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Long; Wayne C. ; et
al. |
March 28, 2019 |
Method For Self-Aligning Solder-Attached Mems Die To A Mounting
Surface
Abstract
A method of attaching a MEMS die to a surface includes centering
and rotationally aligning a solder perform on a solder surface of a
body, centering and rotationally aligning a MEMS die on the solder
preform, and heating the solder perform in a reflow process until
the solder is molten and surface tension of the molten solder moves
the MEMS die to a position where the surface tensions balance, and
the MEMS die is centered on, and rotationally aligned with, the
solder surface of the body.
Inventors: |
Long; Wayne C.; (Austin,
TX) ; Ojeda; Joe A.; (Austin, TX) ; Gurley;
Gengxun K.; (Hutto, TX) ; Nguyen; Joseph L.;
(Austin, TX) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
DunAn Microstaq, Inc. |
Austin |
TX |
US |
|
|
Assignee: |
DunAn Microstaq, Inc.
Austin
TX
|
Family ID: |
62065820 |
Appl. No.: |
16/204136 |
Filed: |
November 29, 2018 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
15686343 |
Aug 25, 2017 |
10189706 |
|
|
16204136 |
|
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62418914 |
Nov 8, 2016 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B23K 1/0016 20130101;
B23K 35/0222 20130101; B81C 3/005 20130101; B81C 2203/035 20130101;
B81C 2203/055 20130101; B23K 2101/36 20180801; B81C 1/00301
20130101 |
International
Class: |
B81C 1/00 20060101
B81C001/00; B23K 1/00 20060101 B23K001/00; B23K 35/02 20060101
B23K035/02; B81C 3/00 20060101 B81C003/00 |
Claims
1. A method of attaching a MEMS die to a surface, the method
comprising: forming a solder well in a center of a solder surface
of a body; centering and rotationally aligning a solder perform
within the solder well; centering and rotationally aligning a MEMS
die on the solder preform; and heating the solder perform in a
reflow process until the solder is molten and surface tension of
the molten solder moves the MEMS die to a position where the
surface tensions balance, and the MEMS die is centered within the
solder well.
2. The method of attaching a MEMS die to a surface according to
claim 1, wherein the solder surface of the body and the solder
preform have dissimilar shapes.
3. The method of attaching a MEMS die to a surface according to
claim 2, wherein the solder surface of the body is substantially
circular and the solder preform is substantially rectangular.
4. The method of attaching a MEMS die to a surface according to
claim 1, wherein the solder well is substantially rectangular.
5. The method of attaching a MEMS die to a surface according to
claim 1, wherein the solder perform has a hole formed centrally
therethrough.
6. The method of attaching a MEMS die to a surface according to
claim 1, further including a lip formed within the solder well and
extending circumferentially around a bore in the body, the lip
defining a barrier over which molten solder will not flow during
the heating step, the lip thus preventing the molten solder from
flowing into the bore.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] This invention relates in general to a Micro Electro
Mechanical Systems (MEMS) die. In particular, this invention
relates to an improved method for controlling solder flow and
surface tension when attaching the MEMS die to a surface such that
the MEMS die will self-align to a desired position relative to the
surface while the attachment solder is molten.
[0002] A MEMS die must typically be geometrically aligned with a
mounting surface for optimal wire bonding. Typically, MEMS die
alignment is a function of solder flow and solder surface tension.
Non-uniform solder flow and insufficient solder surface tension
however, is known to cause undesirable misalignment of
solder-attached MEMS dies.
[0003] According to a known method, a round solder preform is
placed onto a round pedestal of a mounting body and a rectangular
MEMS die is placed onto the round solder preform. Often, the MEMS
die is aligned to a desired position on the pedestal by an
assembler who visually positions and hand-places the MEMS die
without the aid of alignment tools. According to this known method,
the surface tension of the molten solder may be insufficient to
maintain a desired rotational alignment of the MEMS die relative to
the pedestal. Thus, it would be desirable to provide an improved
method for controlling solder flow and surface tension during MEMS
die attachment such that the MEMS die will self-align to a desired
position relative to a surface of a mounting body while the
attachment solder is molten.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0004] This invention relates to an improved method for controlling
solder flow and surface tension when attaching the MEMS die to a
surface of a mounting body such that the MEMS die will self-align
to a desired position relative to the surface while the attachment
solder is molten.
[0005] In a first embodiment, a method of attaching a MEMS die to
surface includes centering and rotationally aligning a solder
perform on a solder surface of a body, centering and rotationally
aligning a MEMS die on the solder preform, and heating the solder
perform in a reflow process until the solder is molten and surface
tension of the molten solder moves the MEMS die to a position where
the surface tensions balance, and the MEMS die is centered on, and
rotationally aligned with, the solder surface of the body.
[0006] A second embodiment of the method of attaching a MEMS die to
a surface includes placing solder mask having a centrally formed
flow area on a solder surface of a body, centering and rotationally
aligning a solder perform on the solder surface of the body within
the flow area of the solder mask, centering and rotationally
aligning a MEMS die on the solder preform, and heating the solder
perform in a reflow process until the solder is molten and surface
tension of the molten solder moves the MEMS die to a position where
the surface tensions balance and the MEMS die is centered within
the flow area of the solder mask.
[0007] A third embodiment of the method of attaching a MEMS die to
a surface includes forming a solder well in a center of a solder
surface of a body, centering and rotationally aligning a solder
perform within the solder well, centering and rotationally aligning
a MEMS die on the solder preform, and heating the solder perform in
a reflow process until the solder is molten and surface tension of
the molten solder moves the MEMS die to a position where the
surface tensions balance, and the MEMS die is centered within the
solder well.
[0008] Various aspects of this invention will become apparent to
those skilled in the art from the following detailed description of
the preferred embodiments, when read in light of the accompanying
drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0009] FIG. 1 is a plan view of a portion of a Superheat Controller
(SHC) that has been assembled according to a first embodiment of
the method of this invention.
[0010] FIG. 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional elevational view taken
along the line 2-2 of FIG. 1.
[0011] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a portion of a known
SHC.
[0012] FIG. 4 is a plan view of the portion of the known SHC
illustrated in FIG. 3.
[0013] FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a known SHC.
[0014] FIG. 6 is a cross sectional view of the known SHC
illustrated in FIG. 5.
[0015] FIG. 7 is a plan view of a portion of an SHC that has been
assembled according to a second embodiment of the method of this
invention.
[0016] FIG. 8 is an enlarged cross sectional elevational view taken
along the line 8-8 of FIG. 7.
[0017] FIG. 9 is a plan view of a portion of an SHC that has been
assembled according to a third embodiment of the method of this
invention.
[0018] FIG. 10 is an enlarged cross sectional elevational view
taken along the line 10-10 of FIG. 9.
[0019] FIG. 11 is an enlarged cross-sectional elevational view of
the portion of the SHC illustrated in FIGS. 9 and 10 showing the
solder solidified after the perform has been heated and
subsequently cooled.
[0020] FIG. 12 is a perspective view of the portion of the SHC
illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 showing the PCB attached thereto.
[0021] FIG. 13 is a flow chart illustrating the first embodiment of
the method of this invention.
[0022] FIG. 14 is a flow chart illustrating the second embodiment
of the method of this invention.
[0023] FIG. 15 is a flow chart illustrating the third embodiment of
the method of this invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0024] Referring now to the drawings, there is illustrated in FIGS.
1 and 2 a portion of a superheat controller (SHC) 52 that has been
assembled according to a first embodiment of the method of this
invention, described below. The SHC portion 52 includes a fluid
inlet member 58 having a pedestal 60. Advantageously, the pedestal
60 has a substantially rectangular peripheral edge 63 (see FIG.
1).
[0025] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the pressure sensor die 46 and
its attached glass cover 50 are bonded to an outwardly facing
solder surface 61 of the pedestal 60 (the upwardly facing surface
when viewing FIG. 2) by a solder perform 54 having a substantially
rectangular peripheral edge 55 and a hole 57 formed centrally
therethrough.
[0026] Referring now to FIGS. 3 and 4, one embodiment of a portion
5 of a known SHC (not shown, but substantially similar to the SHC
10 shown in FIGS. 5 and 6) that has been assembled in a known
manner is illustrated. The portion 5 of the SHC shown in FIGS. 3
and 4 includes a body or base defining a fluid inlet member 40. The
fluid inlet member 40 is similar to the fluid inlet member 18
described below and includes a substantially cylindrical pedestal
42 formed on a first end of the fluid inlet member 40. The fluid
inlet member 40 includes a central portion 44 that may include
external threads. The illustrated fluid inlet member 40 is formed
from brass. Alternatively, the fluid inlet member 40 may be formed
form other metals, metal alloys, and non-metal materials.
[0027] U.S. Pat. No. 9,140,613 discloses a superheat controller
(SHC). The SHC disclosed therein is a single, self-contained,
stand-alone device which contains all the sensors, electronics, and
intelligence to automatically detect a fluid type, such as
refrigerant, and report the superheat of multiple common fluid
types used in residential, industrial, and scientific applications.
U.S. Pat. No. 9,140,613 is incorporated herein in its entirety.
[0028] FIGS. 5 and 6 herein illustrate a SHC 10, which is similar
to the superheat controller disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 9,140,613.
The embodiment of the SHC 10 illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 6 includes
a housing 12 having a body 14, a cover 16, and the base that
defines a fluid inlet member 18. The fluid inlet member 18 may be
secured to the housing 12 by a mounting ring 19. The mounting ring
19 attaches the fluid inlet member 18 to the housing 12 portion by
a threaded connection. Alternatively, the mounting ring 19 may be
attached to the fluid inlet member 18 by any desired method, such
as by welding or press fitting. In the embodiment illustrated in
FIGS. 5 and 6, the fluid inlet member 18 is a brass fitting having
a centrally formed opening that defines a sealing surface 20.
[0029] In a known manner, a bore 41 (not shown in FIG. 3, but shown
in FIG. 8) formed in the fluid inlet member 40 may convey
pressurized fluid to be measured through the fluid inlet member 40,
through a hermetic seal defined by the solder perform 48 (when
hardened after solder reflow), and into a pressure sensing chamber
46A (see FIG. 2) of a MEMS die configured as pressure sensor die
46, described below. As shown in FIG. 8, a portion 41A of the bore
41 that extends through the pedestal 42 may have a diameter smaller
than a diameter of a portion 41B of the bore 41 that extends
through the rest of the fluid inlet member 40.
[0030] The SHC 10 includes an integrated pressure and temperature
sensor 22 having pressure sensor portion 24 and a temperature
sensor portion 26 mounted to a printed circuit board (PCB) 28. The
superheat processor 30, a data-reporting or communication module
32, and an Input/Output (IO) module 34 are also mounted to the PCB
28. The IO module 34 is a physical hardware interface that accepts
input power and reports data through available hard-wired
interfaces, such as wires or cables 36, to the superheat processor
30. Target devices 38 that may be connected to the SHC 10 via the
IO module 34 may include additional temperature sensors, laptop and
notebook computers, cell phones, memory cards, and any device used
in or with conventional end of the line test equipment.
Alternatively, the target devices 38 may be connected to the
communication module 32 by a wireless connection.
[0031] The superheat processor 30 is mounted to the PCB 28 and is a
high-resolution, high accuracy device that processes the input
signals from the pressure and temperature sensor portions 24 and
26, respectively, of the integrated pressure and temperature sensor
22, detects the fluid type, calculates the superheat of the fluid,
and provides an output that identifies the level of the calculated
superheat. The superheat processor 30 may also be configured to
provide other data, such as fluid temperature, fluid pressure,
fluid type, relevant historical dates maintained in an onboard
memory (such as alarm and on-off history), and other desired
information. Advantageously, the superheat processor 30 maintains a
high level of accuracy over a typical operating range of pressure
and temperature after a one-time calibration. Non-limiting examples
of suitable superheat processors include microcontrollers, Field
Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs), and Application Specific
Integrated Circuits (ASICs) with embedded and/or off-board memory
and peripherals.
[0032] As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the pressure sensor die 46 is
attached to the pedestal 42 of the fluid inlet member 40 by a
solder perform 48. The pressure sensor die 46 includes a glass
cover 50 bonded to an outwardly facing surface thereof (the
upwardly facing surface when viewing FIG. 3). The pressure sensor
die 46 and its attached glass cover 50 are further bonded to an
outwardly facing solder surface 43 of the pedestal 42 (the upwardly
facing surface when viewing FIG. 3). A lower surface of the
pressure sensor die 46 defines a bonding surface 49 (the downwardly
facing surface when viewing FIG. 2). The known solder perform 48
has a substantially circular shape, and the pressure sensor die 46
may be aligned thereon by an assembler by visual positioning and
hand placement, i.e., without the aid of alignment tools. Thus,
according to this known method, the solder tension between the
solder preform 48 (when in a molten state) and the pressure sensor
die 46 is insufficient to consistently center and rotationally
align the pressure sensor die 46 to a desired position relative to
the pedestal 42.
[0033] Referring again to FIGS. 1 and 2, the substantially
rectangular shape of the solder perform 54 advantageously guides
and controls solder flow and surface tension. Additionally, the
application of solder via the solder perform 54 as shown in FIGS. 1
and 2 may significantly reduce or prevent heated solder from
flowing into surface ports or holes (not shown) in the pressure
sensor die 46.
[0034] As shown in FIG. 2, the glass cover 50 defines a cavity 50a
therein, and may be bonded to the outwardly facing surface of the
pressure sensor die 46 (the upwardly facing surface when viewing
FIG. 2) by any known bonding method. The glass cover 50 may be
positioned over a pressure sensing chamber 46A of the pressure
sensor die 46. Once bonded to the pressure sensor die 46, the
cavity 50a of the glass cover 50 may be evacuated to a high vacuum
so that the pressure sensor die 46 will read absolute pressure
rather than a gauge pressure, i.e., the pressure difference from
surrounding atmosphere. The vacuum formed in the cavity 50a may be
achieved using known methods.
[0035] In the SHC portion 52 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the pressure
sensor die 46 may be packaged to mount on a base, i.e., the fluid
inlet member 40, that has at one end (see the lower end of FIG. 3)
a shape similar to the core of a known Schrader valve (not shown).
Therefore, a Schrader valve body (not shown) may be easily
connected to a system to be monitored, such as a conventional
heating, ventilating, air conditioning, and refrigeration (HVAC-R)
system, but a core of the Schrader valve (not shown) may be
replaced with the fluid inlet member 40 that will screw into the
Schrader Valve body (not shown) in the same way the core of the
Schrader Valve does. In a known manner, a bore 56 in the fluid
inlet member 58 may convey pressurized fluid to be measured through
the fluid inlet member 58, through a hermetic seal defined by the
solder perform 54, and into a pressure sensing chamber 46A of the
pressure sensor die 46.
[0036] The first embodiment of the method of this invention is
shown at 92 in FIG. 13 and may be performed to assemble the
pressure sensor die 46 to the pedestal 60, as shown in FIGS. 1 and
2. For example, the pedestal 60 may be formed having the
substantially rectangular peripheral edge 63 and the pressure
sensor die 46 may be formed having the substantially rectangular
peripheral edge 47. Thus, the shape of the pedestal 60 and the
shape of the solder preform 54 are the same as the shape of a
peripheral edge 47 of the pressure sensor die 46. An assembler may
then easily center and rotationally align the substantially
rectangular solder preform 54 on the substantially rectangular
pedestal 60, and center and rotationally align the substantially
rectangular pressure sensor die 46 on the substantially rectangular
solder preform 54. The substantially rectangular pressure sensor
die 46 may therefore be positioned in only one of two positions on
the substantially rectangular solder preform 54.
[0037] Indicia may be added to the pressure sensor die 46 to
indicate which of the two possible positions is correct.
Additionally, the pressure sensor die 46, the solder preform 54,
and the pedestal 60 may have any other matching shapes, so as to
allow a constant width margin between the peripheral edges 47, 55,
and 63, respectively, such as a square, an isosceles trapezoid, a
triangle, and other desired polygonal shapes.
[0038] The fluid inlet member 58, the pressure sensor die 46, and
the solder preform 54 therebetween may be heated to initiate solder
reflow, thus allowing the pressure sensor die 46 to self-align
relative to the pedestal 60 while the solder preform 54 is molten.
The solder preform 54 may then be allowed to cool and harden.
[0039] Preferably, the peripheral edge 63 of the surface of the
pedestal 60; i.e., the outer boundary of the solder-receiving
surface, will be larger than a surface of the pressure sensor die
46 by a ratio determined by routine experimentation. This ratio may
be optimized in a way that ensures balanced distribution and
surface tension of molten solder preform 54 during reflow. In this
manner, the surface tension of the molten solder will act to move
the pressure sensor die 46 to a position where the surface tensions
balance. This balance will occur when the pressure sensor die 46 is
centered on, and rotationally aligned with, the shape of the
pedestal 60 such that a constant width margin exists between the
peripheral edges 47 and 63 of the pressure sensor die 46 and the
pedestal 60, respectively. The fluid inlet member 58, the pressure
sensor die 46, and the solder preform 54 therebetween may then be
heated in a conventional manner to initiate solder reflow, thus
allowing the pressure sensor die 46 to self-align relative to the
pedestal 60 of the fluid inlet member 58 while the solder preform
54 is in a molten state. The heated fluid inlet member 58 and the
solder preform 54 thereon may then be allowed to cool and
harden.
[0040] Thus, this method controls the flow of the molten solder
preform 54 and surface tension thereof during pressure sensor die
46 attachment in such a manner that an amount of self-alignment of
the pressure sensor die 46 to a desired rotational position
relative to the pedestal 60 will occur while the attachment solder
perform 54 is molten.
[0041] It has been shown that improved bonding occurs if the solder
preform 54 shape matches the shape of the pressure sensor die 46.
Bonding between the pressure sensor die 46 and the pedestal 60 may
be further improved when the surface areas of the solder preform 54
and the pressure sensor die 46 are equal or substantially equal.
For example, the use of the substantially rectangular solder
preform 54 on the substantially rectangular pedestal 60, and the
substantially rectangular pressure sensor die 46 on the
substantially rectangular solder preform 54 may minimize the
distance that molten solder will have to flow until solder surface
tension centers and rotationally aligns the pressure sensor die 46
relative to the pedestal 60. However, it will be understood that a
non-rectangular solder preform 54 may work just as well with a
similarly shaped non-rectangular pedestal 60.
[0042] Referring now to FIGS. 7 and 8, there is illustrated at 62 a
portion of an SHC that has been assembled according to a second
embodiment of the method of this invention (see FIG. 14). The SHC
portion 62 includes the fluid inlet member 40 having the
substantially cylindrical pedestal 42, i.e., having a substantially
circular cross-sectional shape. As shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, the
pressure sensor die 46 and its attached glass cover 50 (not shown
in FIG. 7) are bonded to the solder surface 43 of the pedestal 42
by the solder perform 54 having the substantially rectangular
peripheral edge 55 and the hole 57 formed centrally
therethrough.
[0043] In the second embodiment of the method, a solder mask 64 may
be used to guide and control solder flow and surface tension. The
illustrated solder mask 64 (also known as solder resist) may be a
thin coating of a material to which liquid solder will not bond.
The solder mask 64 has a substantially circular peripheral edge 65
and a diameter substantially equal to an outside diameter of the
pedestal 42. A substantially rectangular flow area 66 may be formed
in a center of the solder mask 64. As described above, the solder
perform 54 has the substantially rectangular peripheral edge 55 and
may be positioned in the flow area 66 between the pedestal 42 and
the pressure sensor die 46.
[0044] By placing the solder mask 64 on the pedestal 42 in an area
where solder is not desired, the flow area 66 defines an area in
which molten solder from the solder preform 54 will be confined and
where solder is desired to bond with the pedestal 42. Within the
flow area 66, the flow and surface tension of the molten solder
will act to center and rotationally align the pressure sensor die
46 to a desired orientation relative to the flow area 66, and thus
relative to the pedestal 42.
[0045] The second embodiment of the method of this invention is
shown at 94 in FIG. 14. In a first step of the second embodiment of
the method 94, a thin layer of the solder mask 64 may be applied to
a surface of the pedestal 42. The solder mask 64 may have any
desired thickness, such as within about 5 .mu.m to about 15 .mu.m.
The shape of the flow area 66 of the solder mask 64 mask may be
formed or selected to be substantially the same as the shape of the
peripheral edge 44 of the pressure sensor die 46. The solder mask
64 may be positioned in a desired location and rotational alignment
relative to the pedestal 42.
[0046] Preferably, the flow area 66 of the solder mask 64 will be
larger than a surface of the pressure sensor die 46, and a surface
of the solder preform 54, by a predetermined ratio, wherein the
surface of the pressure sensor die 46 may be defined by the
peripheral edge 47 thereof. This ratio of the size and depth of the
flow area 66 to the peripheral edge 55 and thickness of the solder
preform 54, and the size of the portion 41A of the bore 41 in the
pedestal 42 may be optimized in a way that ensures balanced
distribution and surface tension of the molten solder preform 54
during reflow. In this manner, the surface tension of the molten
solder will act to move the pressure sensor die 46 to a position
where the surface tensions balance. This balance will occur when
the pressure sensor die 46 is centered on, and rotationally aligned
with, the shape of the flow area 66 of the solder mask 64 such that
a constant width margin exists between the peripheral edge of the
pressure sensor die 46 and the peripheral edge of the flow area 66.
Thus, this arrangement controls solder flow and surface tension
during pressure sensor die 46 attachment in such a manner that an
amount of pressure sensor die 46 self-alignment to a desired
position relative to the pedestal 42 will occur while the
attachment solder perform 54 is molten.
[0047] Preferably, the shape of the solder preform 54 should match
the shape of the flow area 66 (but not necessarily the dimensions
of the flow area 66). For example, in addition to the embodiment
shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, a non-rectangular solder preform (not
shown) may perform just as well within a properly optimized flow
area 66 in the solder mask 64.
[0048] Referring now to FIGS. 9 through 11, there is illustrated at
72 a portion of an SHC that has been assembled according to a third
embodiment of the method of this invention (see FIG. 15). The SHC
portion 72 includes a fluid inlet member 74 having a substantially
cylindrical pedestal 76. As shown in FIGS. 9 through 11, the
pressure sensor die 46 and its attached glass cover 50 (not shown
in FIGS. 9 through 11) are bonded to an outwardly facing surface of
the pedestal 76 (upwardly facing surface when viewing FIGS. 10 and
11) by a solder perform 78 having a substantially rectangular
peripheral edge and a center-hole 79 (shown in FIGS. 10 and 11)
formed centrally therethrough.
[0049] In a known manner, a bore 75 formed in the fluid inlet
member 74 may convey pressurized fluid to be measured through the
fluid inlet member 74, through a hermetic seal defined by the
solder perform 78, and into the pressure sensing chamber 46A of the
pressure sensor die 46. As shown in FIGS. 10 and 11, a portion 75A
of the bore 75 that extends through the pedestal 76 may have a
diameter smaller than a diameter of a portion 75B of the bore 75
that extends through the rest of the fluid inlet member 74.
[0050] A shallow solder well 80 is formed centrally in the pedestal
76. The portion of the pedestal surrounding the solder well 80
defines a circumferentially and outwardly extending wall 77
(upwardly extending when viewing FIGS. 10 and 11). The solder well
80 is configured to guide and control solder flow and surface
tension. The illustrated solder well 80 has a substantially
rectangular shape. Alternatively, the solder well 80 may have any
desired shape, such as a shape corresponding to the shape of the
peripheral edge of the die used, such as for example the pressure
sensor die 46. The solder well 80 may have any desired depth, such
as within about 0.1 mm to about 0.35 mm. It will be understood that
the depth of the solder well 80 may vary based on a height of the
pressure sensor die 46, the preform volume, and the structure of
the bonding surface 49 thereof.
[0051] The third embodiment of the method of this invention is
shown at 96 in FIG. 15. In a first step of the third embodiment of
the method 96, the shallow solder well 80 may be formed centrally
in the pedestal 76 and preferably has a shape corresponding to a
shape of a peripheral edge of the pressure sensor die 46. The
solder well 80 may be formed such that it is positioned in a
desired location and rotational alignment relative to the pedestal
76. The solder perform 78 may be positioned on a surface of the
solder well 80.
[0052] Preferably, the solder well 80 will be larger than the
bonding surface 49 of the pressure sensor die 46 by a predetermined
ratio, wherein the surface of the pressure sensor die 46 may be
defined by the peripheral edge thereof. This ratio of the size and
depth of the solder well 80 to the peripheral edge, thickness, and
center-hole size of the solder preform 78 may be optimized in a way
that ensures balanced distribution and surface tension of molten
solder during reflow. In this manner, the surface tension of the
molten solder will act between an outer wall of the solder well 80
and the peripheral edge of the pressure sensor die 46 to move the
pressure sensor die 46 to a position where the surface tensions
balance. This balance will occur when the pressure sensor die 46 is
centered in, and rotationally aligned with, the shape of the solder
well 80 such that a constant width margin exists between the
peripheral edge of the pressure sensor die 46 and the peripheral
edge; i.e., the outer walls, of the solder well 80. Thus, this
arrangement controls solder flow and surface tension during
pressure sensor die 46 attachment in such a manner that an amount
of pressure sensor die 46 self-alignment to a desired position
relative to the pedestal 76 will occur while the attachment solder
78 is molten.
[0053] Preferably, the shape of the solder preform 78 should match
the shape of the pressure sensor die 46 (but not necessarily the
peripheral edge dimensions of the pressure sensor die 46). For
example, in addition to the embodiment shown in FIG. 9, a
non-rectangular solder preform (not shown) may perform just as well
with a properly optimized solder well 80.
[0054] It will be understood that during assembly of the SHC
portion 72, molten solder 78 may flow into the bore 75 from the
solder well 80. There may be several ways to prevent this
undesirable flow of solder 78. First, the pressure sensing chamber
46A in the pressure sensor die 46 may be larger in size than a
diameter of the bore 75 formed through the pedestal 76. It has been
shown that when the solder preform 78 has an annular shape and
melts in the solder well 80, careful distribution of a solder flux
(not shown) applied to the bonding surface on the bottom of the
pressure sensor die 46 (but not in the pressure sensing chamber 46A
in the bottom of the pressure sensor die 46), will cause molten
solder 78 to be preferentially attracted to the bonding surface on
the bottom of the pressure sensor die 46. Surface tension of the
solder 78 will then keep the molten solder 78 from flowing into the
area under the pressure sensing chamber 46A in the pressure sensor
die 46, such that molten solder 78 will not reach the bore 75.
[0055] Alternatively, careful control of the shape and size of the
solder preform 78 may be adequate to prevent molten solder from
reaching the bore 75. For example, by providing a very thin solder
preform 78 that extends from the walls of the solder well 80 to a
position underneath some or all of the bonding surface on the
bottom of the pressure sensor die 46, but not further radially
inwardly, such as beneath the pressure sensing chamber 46A,
advantageously results in insufficient solder volume for
significant portions of the solder to reach the bore 75 after the
solder melts.
[0056] Additionally, a raised lip 90 may be formed
circumferentially around the bore 75, over which the molten solder
will not flow, thus preventing the solder from flowing into the
bore 75 (see FIGS. 10 and 11). As shown in FIGS. 10 and 11, the
raised lip 90 may be formed such that it extends outwardly
(upwardly when viewing FIGS. 10 and 11) from the pedestal 76 and
into the pressure sensing chamber 46A in the pressure sensor die 46
to prevent solder from flowing into the bore 75. It will be
understood that the lip 90 is not required.
[0057] After mounting the pressure sensor die 46 to any of the
fluid inlet members 40, 58, and 74, a PCB, such as the PCB 28 may
then be mounted to the fluid inlet member 40, 58, and 74, as shown
in FIGS. 6 and 12. The illustrated PCB 28 includes a die aperture
82 and two fastener apertures 84. The PCB 28 may be positioned on
the fluid inlet member 40, 58, and 74 such that the pressure sensor
die 46 extends through the die aperture 82 and may be attached to
the fluid inlet members 40, 58, and 74 with fasteners, such as
threaded fasteners 86 (see FIG. 6) that extend through the fastener
apertures 84 and into threaded bores 88 formed in the fluid inlet
members 40, 58, and 74.
[0058] The principle and mode of operation of this invention have
been explained and illustrated in its preferred embodiment.
However, it must be understood that this invention may be practiced
otherwise than as specifically explained and illustrated without
departing from its spirit or scope.
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